Maybe it’s because we live in a protein-obsessed era, but nut soups are coming out of their shells on menus everywhere. These six are worth a taste.
Creamy Chestnut
Vermilion
1120 King St., Alexandria
At this seasonal Mid-Atlantic–inspired restaurant in Old Town, chestnuts and Honeycrisp apples are blended and topped with shredded Pekin-duck confit, crunchy cornbread croutons, and fried rosemary needles.
Gazpacho Ajoblanco
The Fountain Inn
1659 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Drizzled with herb oil and smoked olive oil, the chilled soup of white almonds and garlic at this Georgetown tavern arrives over a relish of cotton-candy grapes, confit shallots, and yogurt.
Ghanaian Peanut
Open Crumb
822 H St., NE
Chef Peter Opare used his mother’s velvety peanut soup for inspiration when creating this favorite at his comfort-minded West African carryout. Sop up every drop with a ball of starchy, dumpling-like fufu.
Mushroom and Chestnut
The Majestic
911 King St., Alexandria
Santiago Lopez, chef/owner of this Old Town modern American bistro, incorporates chestnut-infused cream into a hearty bisque packed with umami thanks to porcini and shiitake mushrooms.
Persian Pistachio
Joon
8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna
Pistachios ground into a fine powder create a super-smooth foundation for the vegan soup served at this Iranian dining room in Tysons. It’s brightened with a squeeze of bitter-orange juice and redolent with cumin and coriander.
Garlicky Almond
Taberna del Alabardero
1776 I St., NW
Downtown DC’s longstanding Spanish restaurant offers this recipe from the Málaga province—it’s considered a predecessor to gazpacho. Made with finely sliced almonds, white bread crumbs, and lots of fresh garlic, it’s finished with tangy sherry vinegar.
Nevin Martell is a food, travel, and foraging writer whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, USA Today, Men’s Journal, Fortune, Travel + Leisure, The Daily Beast, BBC, and many other publications. He is author of eight books, including Red Truck Bakery Cookbook: Gold-Standard Recipes from America’s Favorite Rural Bakery, Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and His Revolutionary Comic Strip, and The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes From the Restaurant Owned by American Family Farmers. When he isn’t working, he loves spending time with his son, foraging for wild foods, and traveling.
